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Jock Ewing
John Ross "Jock" Ewing, Sr. (1909 - 1982) was the husband of Miss Ellie Ewing, and father of J.R. Ewing, Gary Ewing, Bobby Ewing, and Ray Krebbs. He founded Ewing Oil in 1930 and was the patriarch of the Ewing family. Jock played by Jim Davis from 1978 to 1981. In Dallas: The Early Years, he was portrayed as a younger man by Dale Midkiff. History Early life and career Jock was born in 1909, the younger of two sons born to Leander Ewing and his wife. Through his older brother Jason, Jock got a job in an oil field in east Texas. While riding in a train boxcar he met Willard "Digger" Barnes, and the two became friends. Jock, Digger, and Jason all became wildcatters and began drilling their own fields. Digger had a unique ability to smell oil underground, and with Jock's business skills they began making a fortune. Jason and Digger didn't get on much, while Jock stood up for Digger in those days. Jason eventually left Texas to wildcat in Alaska, marrying a woman named Nancy Shaw, with whom he had a son Jack (played by Dack Rambo) and a daughter Jamie (played by Jenilee Harrison). Jock and Digger returned to Dallas and Southfork, where Jock met Digger's girlfriend, Ellie Southworth. In the long run, Digger's drinking and undependability made Miss Ellie see that Digger would never change, and that Digger was not the type of man to marry, and she left Digger for Jock. Digger started to wander across the country after Ellie left him, but Jock and Digger continued with their oil business ventures for a few more years. Even as late as 1939, Jock and Digger both signed a deal to share the profits of Ewing 23 between themselves and their heirs in perpetuity. However, when Ewing 6 came in, Jock put the field in his name only, to prevent Digger from gambling and drinking his half away. Digger was furious and he claimed that Jock had stolen the wells for himself, ending their friendship and business relationship. Marriages and children By now Jock and Miss Ellie were dating. She was desperate to save Southfork but Jock was reluctant to marry because, he was already married to a woman named Amanda Lewis. Unknown to Miss Ellie. Amanda had suffered a mental breakdown shortly after she and Jock were married and Jock put her in a mental hospital. The doctor told Jock that Amanda would never recover and advised Jock to divorce her. Miss Ellie came to Jock, told him that she was pregnant with J.R. and demanded that he marry her. Jock and Miss Ellie married on the day her family was to lose Southfork and it was well known that Jock was the only man in Dallas with the money to save the ranch. Jock had a fragile and stormy relationship with Miss Ellie's father, Aaron Southworth and her brother, Garrison Southworth, who was a close friend of Digger Barnes', because both Aaron and Garrison hated oilmen. On his deathbed, Aaron accepted Jock as part of his family by giving him his favorite gun. Jock and Miss Ellie had three sons together. Jock served in World War II, where he and an old army buddy, Tom Mallory, were shot down in a mission in Holland. They later returned to save the families who sheltered them. During his term in England he had an affair with an Army nurse from Emporia, Kansas, named Margaret Hunter. Jock was shipped off to France and Margaret returned to the United States. She married her fiancé Amos Krebbs and soon thereafter gave birth to Jock's illegitimate son Ray Krebbs. After the war, Jock returned to Southfork and confessed to Miss Ellie about the affair. She forgave him and they moved on but one day a 15-year-old Ray Krebbs showed up at Southfork with a note from his mother asking Jock to help Ray. Jock made Ray a hand on Southfork ranch and told Miss Ellie Ray was the son of the woman he had an affair with during the war but neither knew Jock was Ray's father. As the years passed, Jock built Ewing Oil into one of the most powerful independent oil companies in Texas and became a very successful rancher. Jock "took over raising" his eldest son J.R., showing him "tough love" and made him one of the most cunning and ruthless oil barons in the oil business. Jock, for the most part, ignored his second son Gary, whom he considered weak and spoiled his youngest son Bobby. Retirement In 1977, Jock retired as president of Ewing Oil. He made J.R. his successor and took a more active role in running Southfork with foreman Ray Krebbs. Death and legacy Jock and Ellie briefly separated in 1981 but reconciled and went on a second honeymoon to Paris. Upon returning to the United States, Jock and Miss Ellie arrived in Washington. D.C., where they were met by the U.S. State Department with a request for Jock to go to South America to lead a drilling operation. Ellie returned to Southfork alone, while Jock had conferences in Washington. Later, he returned to Southfork, just for a few hours, to get his gear together before leaving for South America. While flying back from Venezuela to Texas, the helicopter he was in collided with a small plane and landed in a lake. Jock's body was never found but he was declared dead in the fall of 1982. The storyline involving Jock's death was necessitated by the death of actor Jim Davis. A tribute to Davis was shown at the end of the episode "The Search" and the credits rolled silently in respect. A memorial headstone to Jock stands on Southfork Ranch, beside Miss Ellie's headstone and grave. Dallas (2012 TV series) Although dead, Jock's legacy continues to carry on within the Ewing family as he is mentioned several times by J.R. and Bobby. He is currently buried on Southfork Ranch, along with Miss Ellie and J.R. To make up for lost time, J.R. offers to teach John Ross everything Jock taught him about the oil business. He even tells him the "truest" thing he ever told him, "Nobody gives you power, real power is something you take." Quotes "Any man can win when things go his way, it's the man who overcomes adversity that is the true champion." ---- "When your back is to the wall remember that a cornered animal is the most dangerous." ---- "Sit down and shut up, JR." ---- "I'm mad as hell, boy!" ---- "Sick? You mean drunk!" Jock to the sisters Shepard after Kristin tries to make the excuse that Sue Ellen wasn't feeling well last night. ---- "I'm not tryin' to influence you. I'm TELLIN' you what to do." - Jock to Bobby. Gallery Jock Ewing (1).jpg A868ce755bd3c2e989523676e7f3be3c.png jock_ewing.jpg Jock18.JPG jock.jpg D3K-A1SXsAAldPm.jpg Trivia * After Jim Davis' death, artist Ro Kim painted a portrait of the actor in his role as Jock Ewing. The portrait became a focal point of the Dallas set and was featured in a number of episodes. The painting now hangs in the home of Larry Hagman, who played protagonist J.R. Ewing. The Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, where Dallas exteriors were shot, features a different Jock Ewing portrait as a focal point of its "Jock's Living Room". Jock drove a 1977 Lincoln Mark V with the license plate EWING 1, which is still on the grounds of Southfork, parked in one of the gift shops. Category:Ewing family Category:Original Characters Category:Residents of Southfork Ranch Category:First Series Characters Category:Deceased characters Category:The Early Years characters